WEBVTT
ON CELEBRATING THE HOLIDAYS AT
HOME IN NASHUA
ADAM: TOMORROW, THE EYES OF THE
POLITICAL WORLD WILL BE ON
PRESIDENTIAL ELECTORS WHO WILL
BE MEETING IN STATE CAPITOLS
ACROSS THE COUNTRY TO CAST THEIR
ELECTORAL VOTES.
WHILE DONALD TRUMP WON THE MOST
ELECTORAL COLLEGE VOTES ON
NOVEMBER 8, SOME OF HIS MOST
VOCAL OPPONENTS HAVE BEEN
CALLING FOR ELECTORS TO DENY HIM
THE PRESIDENCY.
THE NEW HAMPSHIRE STATEHOUSE IS
A BEACON OF DEMOCRACY.
TOMORROW IT WILL HOST ONE OF THE
MORE OBSCURE CONSTITUTIONAL
FUNCTIONS OF OUR FEDERAL
REPUBLIC, AS PRESIDENTIA
ELECTORS CAST THEIR VOTES AND
SEND THEM TO WASHINGTON.
BUT THIS NORMALLY LOW-PROFILE
EVENT IS DIFFERENT IN 2016, AS
ST. ANSLEM PROFESSOR OF POLITICS
CHRIS GALDIERI SAYS ELECTORS A
UNDER TREMENDOUS SCRUTINY.
>> THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF
CONTROVERSY THIS YEAR, A LOT O
CALLS FOR ELECTORS TO VOTE FOR
SOMEONE OTHER THAN DONALD TRUM
ADAM: HILLARY CLINTON WON NEW
HAMPSHIRE'S FOUR ELECTORAL VOTES
ON NOVEMBER 8.
HER HANDPICKED ELECTORS ARE
FORMER EXECUTIVE COUNCILOR
DUDLEY DUDLEY, FORMER SENATE
PRESIDENT BEV HOLLINGWORTH,
FORMER HOUSE SPEAKER TERIE
NORELLI, AND CONGRESSWOMAN CAROL
SHEA-PORTER.
NONE ARE EXPECTED TO BECOM
WHAT'S KNOWN AS A FAITHLESS
ELECTOR, ONE WHO TURNS ON THEIR
CHOSEN CANDIDATE
>> THE CONSTITUTION DOESN'T
PLACE ANY LIMITS ON WHO ELECTORS
CAN VOTE FOR, AND CAMPAIGNS AR
AWARE OF THAT AND THEY TRY TO
CORRECT FOR THAT BY SELECTING
PEOPLE WHO ARE PARTY LOYALISTS
AND WHO ARE GOING TO VOTE FOR
THE PARTY'S CANDIDATE COME HELL
OR HIGH WATE
ADAM: ACCORDING TO GALDIERI,
THERE ARE WAYS THE ELECTORS
COULD KEEP THE PRESIDENCY FROM
THE PRESIDENT-ELECT AT LEAST IN
PART BY GIVING ELECTORAL VOTES
TO ANOTHER PLAUSIBLE REPUBLICAN
.
BUT HE SAYS IT'S A LOT OF
WISHFUL THINKING ON THE PART OF
DONALD TRUMP'S OPPONENTS.
>> IF ENOUGH VOTES WERE CAST F
SOMEONE LIKE JOHN KASICH OR MITT
ROMNEY OR SOME OTHER THI
CANDIDATE TO DEPRIVE TRUMP OF
270 ELECTORAL VOTES THAT T
ELECTION WOULD THEN GO INTO THE
HOUSE AND THERE'D BE A CHANCE
FOR THAT THIRD CANDIDATE TO GE
CHOSEN.
I THINK THE LIKELIHOOD OF THAT
IS VERY, VERY SMALL.
ADAM: NEW HAMPSHIRE'S ELECTORS
WERE AMONG THOSE WHO MADE THE
FORMAL REQUEST FOR AN
INTELLIGENCE BRIEFING ON RUSSIAN
INTERFERENCE IN THE PRESIDENTIAL
CAMPAIGN AND ALLEGED TIES
BETWEEN RUSSIAN AND MEMBERS OF
THE TRUMP CAMPAIGN.
THAT REQUEST WAS DENIED AND

On Monday, it will host one of the more obscure constitutional functions of our federal republic as presidential electors cast their votes and send them to Washington.

Advertisement

But this normally low-profile event is different in 2016.

Saint Anselm College political science professor Chris Galdieri said electors are under tremendous scrutiny.

"There's been a lot of controversy this year, a lot of calls for electors to vote for someone other than Donald Trump," Galdieri said.

Democratic Party nominee Hillary Clinton won New Hampshire's four electoral votes on Nov. 8.

Her handpicked electors are former Executive Councilor Dudley Dudley, former state Senate President Bev Hollingworth, former state House Speaker Terie Norelli, and Congresswoman Carol Shea-Porter.

None of them are expected to become what is known as a "faithless elector" - one who turns on their chosen candidate.

"The Constitution doesn't place any limits on who electors can vote for," Galdieri said. "Campaigns are aware of that and they try to correct for that by selecting people who are party loyalists and who are going to vote for the party's candidate come hell or high water."

There are ways the electors could keep the presidency from the President-elect according to Galdieri. It's plausible they could decide to give electoral votes to another Republican, but he said that's a lot of wishful thinking by Trump's opponents.

"If enough votes were cast for someone like John Kasich or Mitt Romney or some other third candidate to deprive Trump of 270 electoral votes, the election would then go into the House and there'd be a chance for that third candidate to get chosen," Galdieri said. "I think the likelihood of that is very, very small."

New Hampshire's electors were among those who made the formal request for an intelligence briefing on Russian interference in the presidential campaign, and alleged ties between Russia and members of the Trump campaign.

That request was denied and a top local Trump supporter said electors need to "get a life."